Articles
TOMATO PRODUCTION ON ARID LAND – THE CONTENT AND THE GOAL OF THE SYMPOSIUM
It is a pleasure to adress you as Egypt and the tomato have been close to my heart for quite some years.
In the first place, may I take the opportunity to thank the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and friends in various capacities in Egypt for preparing the ground and arranging this symposium.
I am also happy that the International Society for Horticultural Science is the sponsoring organization of this meeting.
Within the structure of this organization the symposium is a child of the Commission of tropical and sub-tropical horticulture.
Horticulture as science is gaining rapid momentum on the African continent, and there is a desire in sharing interests and information with the international world.
Furthermore, this is the first African symposium devoted to one single crop, the tomato.
This indicates both the importance of this crop as well the need of specialization in the world of horticulture.
The area of tomato production in the Near-East area has been rapidly expanding and on the basis of acerage one of three main regions of the world (Tables 1 and 2, fig.1).
May I on the behalf on the conveners extend our gratitude to you all for responding to the invitation to the symposium